NEW YORK — Brooklyn Nets rookie guard Drake Powell is coming off a rookie season that had its fair share of peaks and valleys as he adjusted to playing in the NBA. Brooklyn wanted to make sure that players like Powell received enough playing time to hasten the development and he explained what the next step of his development will be this offseason.
“Definitely, the weight room will be a great piece for me. I think we have a great strength and conditioning staff as well as taking care of my body,” Powell said during his exit interview when asked in what ways he is looking to improve his game. Powell came into this season as one of the more athletic players in his class, but he feels that maximizing his body will allow him to get that extra edge to make a difference.
“That’s [working on his body] something that I want to continue to get better at. I [did] a terrible job in college, to be honest with you, taking care of my body,” Powell continued. “I think just getting constant reps on the court and just coming with the right mindset into the summer.” Powell didn’t appear to be out of shape during the season, but NBA players tend to have better results when it comes to maximizing their athletic gifts.
Powell, 20, ended his rookie season with averages of 6.5 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game while shooting 40.2% from the field and 28.0% from three-point range. Powell saw more playing time towards the end of the season as the Nets dealt with multiple injuries in the normal rotation and he increased his averages to 8.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per contest while shooting 36.4% from the floor and 27.7% from deep.
While Powell has plenty to work on on both ends of the floor, it seemed that his defense was ahead of his offense given that his athleticism and wingspan was able to translate to the NBA seemingly from the beginning. With that being said, Powell still has to add some muscle if he wants to continue building on his effectiveness on the court and it seems that he’s acknowledged that he has to do a better job taking care of his body.
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets’ Drake Powell details next step in development this offseason
Reporting by Sharif Phillips-Keaton, Nets Wire / Nets Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
